Guess what verse is highlighted right now in my Bible-on-computer? How’s this for a parallel:
2Cor. 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
The French philospher Michel de Montaigne’s quote about hard-to-understand books is one of my favourites, especially when I’m reading about grammar (and going online to avoid reading more) :
I cannot have lengthy commerce with [mysterious books] ... If I come across difficult passages in my reading I never bite my nails over them: after making a charge or two I let them be ... If one book wearies me I take up another.
We had a Bible study on Romans 1 last night, particularly verses 18 to 25. This quote from St John Damascene [and especially the bit I’ve italicised—a wondrous thing that what is revealed is sufficient and all we can handle, but yet there is much more to the essence of God, of which we may never know] reminds me of the great love of God for all of us, that he would reveal Himself to us. As we chant in Liturgy: “God is the Lord who has revealed Himself to us: Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!”
God, however, did not leave us in absolute ignorance. For the knowledge of God’s existence has been implanted by Him in all by nature. This creation, too, and its maintenance and its government, proclaim the majesty of the Divine nature. Moreover, by the Law and the Prophets in former times and afterwards by His Only-begotten Son, our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ, He disclosed to us the knowledge of Himself as that was possible for us. All things, therefore, that have been delivered to us by Law and Prophets and Apostles and Evangelists we receive and know and honour, seeking for nothing beyond these. For God, being good, is the cause of all good, subject neither to envy nor to any passion. For envy is far removed from the Divine nature, which is both passionless and only good. As knowing all things, therefore, and providing for what is profitable for each, He revealed that which it was to our profit to know; but what we were unable to bear, He kept secret. With these things let us be satisfied, and let us abide by them, not removing everlasting boundaries, nor over passing the divine tradition.
“An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith - Book I”
Might some “Benevolent Dictator” please fix Craig’s post so there is no scroll issue?...the comments on the thread no longer appear wholly within my poor browser—and I do not like having to scroll across. Ta.
John Donne will be bothered by me in heaven quite a bit. “A Hymne to God the Father” never fails to move me (and I love the way he spells the same words differently, even in the same verse!):
I.
Wilt Thou forgive that sinne where I begunne,
Which was my sin, though it were done before?
Wilt Thou forgive that sinne, through which I runne,
And do run still, though still I do deplore?
When Thou hast done, Thou hast not done,
For, I have more.
II.
Wilt Thou forgive that sinne which I have wonne
Others to sinne, and made my sinne their doore?
Wilt Thou forgive that sinne which I did shunne
A yeare or two, but wallowed in a score?
When Thou hast done, Thou hast not done,
For, I have more.
III.
I have a sinne of fear, that when I have spunne
My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;
But swear by Thyself, that at my death Thy Sonne
Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore;
And having done that, Thou hast done;
I feare no more.
Western Hymns [especially the Teutonic writers] provide a rich array of blessing to me, and I could probably quote the entire selection on the Oremus hymnal or Cyber Hymnal sites. No one says it better than St Patrick in my opinion:
I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
[quote author="1 John 3:1-2"]See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
It’s been a riotous day in the Crittle household. Have been enjoying Owen Atkin and his many posts far too much along with the many and varied responses from the likes of Ian Holder, Gordon Cheng, Warren Bird, Craig Bennet etc etc.
So thank you to one and all for such an enjoyable day.
And a special thanks to Miss Sophie for ending my day on the best quote which has caused my heart to sing:
1 John 3:1-2 wrote:
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
Whohoo!
a happy and thankful
Angela who has the song ‘Amazing love, O what sacrifice, the Son of God given for me. My debt He paid and my death He died so that I might live.....implanted in her head as a result of Sophie’s post. Wonderful!
[quote author="Angela Crittle"]And a special thanks to Miss Sophie for ending my day on the best quote which has caused my heart to sing:
...
who has the song ‘Amazing love, O what sacrifice, the Son of God given for me. My debt He paid and my death He died so that I might live.....implanted in her head as a result of Sophie’s post. Wonderful!
I can hear Angela singing from here… ;-) [though I remember the trouble I had hitting the high notes for “might live” at the end of that song—puberty puts an end to one’s high-note abilities… ;-) ]
Batter my heart, three-person’d God; for you
As yet but knock; breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp’d town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but O, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth’d unto your enemy;
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.
A thousand thanks for the Donne quote. I studied this very sonnet for my HSC and loved it. But I wasn’t a Christian then and I didn’t really understand the passion which lept off the page as I read it. And it deserves to be read aloud, btw.
Now that I am a Christian, I understand. I haven’t read that poem in over 20 years :(
So thank you dear brother for giving me the most wonderful journey of joy and praise....and I didn’t have to leave my desk!
cheers
Angela who has run off to grab her John Donne poetry book from her bookcase
At the round earth’s imagin’d corners, blow
Your trumpets, Angells, and arise, arise
From death, you numberlesse infinities
Of soules, and to your scattred bodies goe,
All whom the flood did, and fire shall o’erthrow,
All whom warre, dearth, age, agues, tyrannies,
Despaire, law, chance, hath slaine, and you whose
eyes,
Shall behold God, and never tast deaths woe,
But let them sleepe, Lord, and mee mourne a space,
For, if above all these, my sinnes abound,
‘Tis late to aske abundance of thy grace,
When wee are there; here on this lowly ground,
Teach mee how to repent; for that’s as good
As if thou’hadst seal’d my pardon, with thy blood.
John Donne (1572-1631) P. 1633
FOOTNOTE
the first line is a reference to Rev 7:1 “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree.”
And after all the joy your posts have given me, I’m glad I was able to give some back to you.
[quote author="Angela Crittle"]I studied this very sonnet for my HSC and loved it.
I had a wondrous English teacher in years 11 and 12 who let me study John Donne while the rest of the class studied someone else. He even gave up time after school to lead and guide me through—he told me he was simply happy to do it as it was good to find someone else who enjoyed Donne’s work. Chalk one up for interested teachers in a local government school—I’ve never forgotten that (nor the other good teachers I had).
And, as you wrote, it is passionate!
Gordon: another great one. Oh, to study all this again!
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